Sprint racing makes its return to Monza
At Monza, F1 is getting ready to make a second attempt with the sprint race. Like at Silverstone, it is supposed to take place on Saturday afternoon to determine the classification of the Grand Prix the next day.
After a first success at Silverstone, the sprint race returns to Monza, Italy. F1 continues to conduct tests for a possible permanent arrival in a full season. The sprint race determines the ranking for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The starting grid for the sprint race is determined by a qualifying session organized on Friday afternoon, instead of the second free practice session. During a weekend with a sprint race, the third free practice session disappears.
A different program
Formula 1 promises a packed schedule. In order to accommodate the sprint race, the third practice session had to be removed. Teams and drivers will only have two sessions to prepare their strategies with the different tire compounds. On Friday, the first session will take place in the early afternoon. A few hours later, the traditional qualifying session will determine the grid for the sprint race.
On Saturday, the drivers will be able to take part in the second and final free practice session before heading out for the sprint race. As a reminder, the sprint race will cover 100 km and is expected to last about half an hour. The finishing order of this race will determine the grid for the Italian Grand Prix the following day. At Silverstone, Max Verstappen won the first ever F1 sprint race, while Lewis Hamilton secured pole position during qualifying. The seven-time world champion ultimately won the race in front of his home crowd.
On Sundays, F1 invites us to the usual Grand Prix. The 14th meeting of the season promises to be interesting. The championship title race is still undecided, and the duel between Verstappen and Hamilton shows no sign of ending soon.
